Bear Baiting Rules Clarified

New rules on bait have some bear hunters confused about whether they can still use meat. They can, said Bret Stansberry, landowner-sportsman coordinator with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in Salmon, as long as the right kind of meat is being used. The 2007 rule has added domestic game animals, domestic game birds, and domestic game fish to the prohibited bait list. Wild origin game and protected nongame wildlife continue to be illegal. "The reason for the new rule is that it is hard to tell the difference between wild and domestic game," Stansberry said. "We don't know whether a trout is from the store or from the lake." Meat from domestic animals such as cattle and pigs is still allowed, as long as the hides are removed. For more information about the bear baiting rules, please call the Salmon Region Fish and Game office at 756-2271.